Howick and Pakuranga Times : Howick and Pakuranga Times Thursday May 22 2014

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Howick and Pakuranga Times, Thursday, May 22, 2014 — 3
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More using public transport
THERE was a big jump in the number of
people using public transport in Auckland in
March.
Auckland Transport (AT) says there were 7.3
million trips, an increase of 4 per cent on the
same month last year.
The year to March also saw strong growth
with just over 71 million trips.
AT says rail continues to be the star
performer, with more than 11 million trips in
the year to March, up 14 per cent annually.
AT public transport group manager Mark
Lambert says the growth in rail is pleasing.
“ The jump in rail numbers reflects the
improved on-time performance, integrated
ticketing and the renewed interest in rail with
the introduction of electric trains.
“March saw a record number of people
using train services.”
The first electric trains started on the
Onehunga line on April 28. Regional bus
services, including Howick and Eastern Buses,
carried 52 million passengers in the year to
March, an annual increase of 3 per cent.
There was also an increase of 9 per cent
in cycling in March compared to the same
month last year.
Horse killed in collision
A HORSE died from injuries sustained after
being struck by a motorist in Clevedon last
Friday.
Police, St John Ambulance and members
of the Clevedon Volunteer Fire Brigade were
called to the scene in Clevedon-Kawakawa
Road at about 5.30am.
Mike Kelly, the volunteer brigade’s deputy
chief fire officer, says the horse was not being
ridden at the time. The motor vehicle that
collided with the animal contained only its
male driver, who was uninjured.
“ The vehicle was very badly damaged
and the horse was deceased when we got
there,” says Mr Kelly. “The safety of the driver
was paramount. We pulled the horse from
the road using winches so the appropriate
authorities could collect it.
“This sort of thing happens very rarely, but
it does happen. It’s a matter of vigilance for
anyone concerned.”
NEWS BITES
NSW Cup.
“I’m truly grateful to receive
this award and humbled to stand
before you,” said Waetford.
“Funnily enough my career
started in this rugby club. Pita
spoke about living local and play-
ing local and I’ve always been hard
and true about doing that.
“I’m proud to be amongst this
room. It’s made me appreciate all
the different sports that are out
there and it’s really cool to see the
other athletes that have received
awards and being nominated.”
Howick Local Board sport and
recreation portfolio leader John
Spiller closed the evening by say-
ing: “The reason we are here is
to celebrate the achievements of
our wonderful local athletes and
sports people.
“On behalf of the Howick Local
Board I would like to extend
our congratulations to not only
the category winners, but all the
nominees, in the knowledge that
Howick is tremendously well rep-
resented across a great many codes
and sporting disciplines.
“We understand the enormous
dedication, training, commitment
and self-sacrifice that goes into
being the best in your chosen sport
or field, and encourage you all to
maintain your efforts.
“The future is exciting for sport
in the Howick ward and we have
seen that local success leads to
national and international recog-
nition for many of our sporting
achievers.”
F➤
➤ rompage1
The six finalists in both the jun-
ior sportswoman and junior sports-
man fields made them among the
toughest to judge, with HPHC’s
Tyler Lench and Pakuranga Ath-
letic’s Austen Heuvel the respec-
tive winners.
Defending their national schools
time trial title won Saint Kentigern
College’s girls’ cycling team the
junior team of the year prize.
While a relative newcomer to the
area, national champion sprinter
Louise Jones is proud to have won
sportswoman of the year on behalf
of her new club.
“I’ve only been at Pakuranga
Athletic Club for a couple of years,
but they have made me feel so wel-
come,” said the Welsh ex-pat. “It’s
been a long year. I was injured and
went back to Cardiff. I came back
and had my most successful season
since I started athletics.”
There was a loudening cheer for
81-year-old sportsman of the year
finalist Ron Johnson, as his list of
national seniors’ athletics titles
for triple jump, 80m hurdles, dis-
cus, shot put, hammer throw, long
jump, javelin, and pentathlon was
read out.
Earlier in the night there was a
similarly raucous applause for sev-
en-year-old junior sportswoman
of the year finalist and BMX world
champion Sacha Earnest.
As well as Johnson, the sports-
man finalists included Blues and
New Zealand under-20 rugby
player Joe Edwards and Auckland
Softball pitcher of the year Camp-
bell Gibson.
They were edged out by pro-
digious Howick Hornets rugby
league talent Steven Waetford,
who was selected to and captain of
numerous representative teams in
2013, and is leader of the NZ War-
riors reserve grade outfit in the
Top start to new awards
PROUD: Clockwise from left: Tim
Bond, of Howick Pakuranga Hockey
Club, is the official of the year; Steve
Waetford, the Howick sportsman of
the year; Pakuranga United director
of rugby and head coach Pita Alatini
is coach of the year and was the
event’s guest speaker; Howick
Local Board member John
Spiller presents the
sportswoman award to
sprinter Louise Jones.
Photos supplied /
Auckland Sports Photography /
Leanne Raffles